Off the shelf, build or custom shop???

[sirgarreth]

Hey guys, I have a question.
Looking to get another rifle probably in the next 6 months. I have built 1 rifle and customized a Rem 700. Both are 6.5 Creedmoor.
The Built Rifle - Big Horn Origin action with a 20” straight jacket armory custom barrel in an AG Composite stock.
The Rem 700 - Rem 700 with OWM barrel cut down to 22”, for looks, fluted bolt with threaded and skeletonized handle in a Magpul Hunter stock.
Other Built Rifle - Big Horn Origin, 24” Ctriterion barrel using barrel nut in a KRG Bravo, this is .308 WIN.

Question here is this.
I am thinking of getting another rifle. Should I build it? Should I just buy an off the shelf rifle like the Bergara B14 HMR Pro? Or just bite the bullet and purchase the rifle from a custom shop like GA Precision? Looking at 300 Win Mag or maybe 7PRC.
Building will be about $2700
Off the rack will be about $1600?
Custom Shop will be about $5500?

I do not have an Off the rack rifle and honestly never have. I keep hearing the Bergaras are excellent and very accurate rifles. Are the Big Horn actions (or any custom action) that much better than th shelf rifles?
I do not do any competitions or hunt. These are strictly for fun. Probably will be doing 2-3 long range precision training classes a year, but that is pretty much it.

 

[corsairpilot62]

if this is strictly for fun; then what sounds fun?

Off the shelf is gonna be the cheapest choice (in most cases) however you are left with factory oem (can upgrade later)

Build yourself, not sure what your background and technical experience is. Unless the manufacturer of the action has end user in mind some folks will not have knowledge, tooling, experience…etc. challenging and rewarding but can be highly frustrating.

Custom shop/smith. Do you like waiting? Cause unless inventory on hand, most shops are built to order. So you are gonna wait. That said, my best shooters are smith builds. Honestly, this option is what im choosing more and more. But i do not have the tooling, time, and knowledge to smith my own builds.

Talking to the smith/shop you can build the rifle that is everything you want/need.

Also Bergaras are just Spanish Remington 700s change my mind! Lol.

Best of luck on what you decide!

 

[Kadams1563]

Assemble yourself. With the type of actions, stocks, pre fits I don’t see why you would buy an off the rack rifle unless your on a budget.

 

[hafejd30]

AXSR for the win

Or GBPSE

 

[sirgarreth]

I built the two Big Horns I have now. , but I keep seeing other people at the range and online getting 0.5” groups all day with their Tikkas and Bergaras.
I was thinking of:
Big Horn Origin with a 24” Proof Carbon in a AG Compsite stock or maybe a Manners thins time. Just wondering if the extra $1200 difference from the shelf rifle is worth it.

 

[Lost_Phil]

Just wondering if the extra $1200 difference from the shelf rifle is worth it.

It all depends on what you are going to be happy with and want in features/looks. How it groups is part of it, but not all of it when looking buying VS building it.

Ask yourself do you want stock or chassis that is adjustable, short throw on action and feed from an AICS magazine, then I would put a list together of what you are looking for and see what the best path will be for you.

 

[Robert4]

I vote for building. Factory rifles can be pretty accurate these days, but with a fair sprinkling of dud barrels among them. Much better odds on a good accurate barrel an a custom or a build. If you don't really enjoy the build process, a Bergara HMR Pro is worth considering.

One consideration is how easy it is to replace barrels. Many cartridges can have a pretty short barrel life so building with a custom action like your Big Horn/Zermatt actions gives you good availability of replacements. The coned bolt head on Bergaras can complicate barrel swaps.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

Assemble yourself. With the type of actions, stocks, pre fits I don’t see why you would buy an off the rack rifle unless your on a budget.

Yeah I don't understand why you wouldn't put one together yourself unless it's for cost reasons? I love doing it, and I can then have everything the way I want it. I think OP would do well to put a little more into his stock/chassis though and put a first class barrel on it.

 

[sirgarreth]

Ok, so I will go with another Big Horn or maybe try a TL3 this time with a Proof Carbon barrel.
Thanks guys! Decision made!
The Big Horns are easy to put together. I have the Zermatt action wrench. Makes it so easy to torque down the barrel properly. Just have to wait for AG Composite to have another half off sale so I can get the stock from them.

 

[308pirate]

Hey guys, I have a question.
Looking to get another rifle probably in the next 6 months. I have built 1 rifle and customized a Rem 700. Both are 6.5 Creedmoor.
The Built Rifle - Big Horn Origin action with a 20” straight jacket armory custom barrel in an AG Composite stock.
The Rem 700 - Rem 700 with OWM barrel cut down to 22”, for looks, fluted bolt with threaded and skeletonized handle in a Magpul Hunter stock.
Other Built Rifle - Big Horn Origin, 24” Ctriterion barrel using barrel nut in a KRG Bravo, this is .308 WIN.

Question here is this.
I am thinking of getting another rifle. Should I build it? Should I just buy an off the shelf rifle like the Bergara B14 HMR Pro? Or just bite the bullet and purchase the rifle from a custom shop like GA Precision? Looking at 300 Win Mag or maybe 7PRC.
Building will be about $2700
Off the rack will be about $1600?
Custom Shop will be about $5500?

I do not have an Off the rack rifle and honestly never have. I keep hearing the Bergaras are excellent and very accurate rifles. Are the Big Horn actions (or any custom action) that much better than th shelf rifles?
I do not do any competitions or hunt. These are strictly for fun. Probably will be doing 2-3 long range precision training classes a year, but that is pretty much it.

Get a Tac Ops

 

[dnuggett]

I will propose a third option to add to your list .It's gonna be double what you said the custom rifle cost is though and it's nothing like you are currently considering. Take a look at an Accuracy International. Specifically the AXSR.

Or just ask GAP to build you what you want.

Or build off a Terminus Zeus switch barrel.

You can't really go wrong.

 

[Rob01]

Ok, so I will go with another Big Horn or maybe try a TL3 this time with a Proof Carbon barrel.
Thanks guys! Decision made!
The Big Horns are easy to put together. I have the Zermatt action wrench. Makes it so easy to torque down the barrel properly. Just have to wait for AG Composite to have another half off sale so I can get the stock from them.

Why a carbon fiber barrel? For your use it's just a waste of money.

 

[Newbie2020]

Have fun! A full on custom sounds like fun!

GA Precision makes great rifles. But if you’re willing to wait a bit Mike R at TacOps makes phenomenal rifles that are legendary for about the same money. For an added layer of fun Mike R is possibly starting a new venture with Manners.

Or let me hold your money and I’ll place the order for you!!! lol

 

[FuhQ]

Hey guys, I have a question.
Looking to get another rifle probably in the next 6 months. I have built 1 rifle and customized a Rem 700. Both are 6.5 Creedmoor.
The Built Rifle - Big Horn Origin action with a 20” straight jacket armory custom barrel in an AG Composite stock.
The Rem 700 - Rem 700 with OWM barrel cut down to 22”, for looks, fluted bolt with threaded and skeletonized handle in a Magpul Hunter stock.
Other Built Rifle - Big Horn Origin, 24” Ctriterion barrel using barrel nut in a KRG Bravo, this is .308 WIN.

Question here is this.
I am thinking of getting another rifle. Should I build it? Should I just buy an off the shelf rifle like the Bergara B14 HMR Pro? Or just bite the bullet and purchase the rifle from a custom shop like GA Precision? Looking at 300 Win Mag or maybe 7PRC.
Building will be about $2700
Off the rack will be about $1600?
Custom Shop will be about $5500?

I do not have an Off the rack rifle and honestly never have. I keep hearing the Bergaras are excellent and very accurate rifles. Are the Big Horn actions (or any custom action) that much better than th shelf rifles?
I do not do any competitions or hunt. These are strictly for fun. Probably will be doing 2-3 long range precision training classes a year, but that is pretty much it.

You could buy an Aero Solus and build it yourself with a barrel vise, action wrench, go/no-go gauges, and a torque wrench. They use Bighorn/Origin prefits, or you can use a barrel nut and use a small-shank Savage prefit. Personally, I'm not a fan of barrel nuts, so I prefer shouldered Origin prefits.

 

[hlee]

but I keep seeing other people at the range and online getting 0.5” groups all day with their Tikkas and Bergaras.

Unless you watched the shooter put up a 6x5 target that averaged 0.5”, ignore everything you see on the internet or hear at a range or gun shop.

 

[morning would]

Unless you watched the shooter put up a 6x5 target that averaged 0.5”, ignore everything you see on the internet or hear at a range or gun shop.

Came to post this. It’s pretty easy to just cherry pick and post the best. Heck, I do it myself.

 

[hafejd30]

Unless you watched the shooter put up a 6x5 target that averaged 0.5”, ignore everything you see on the internet or hear at a range or gun shop.

That’s why you always carry a coin or caliper with you. Take that .75 group, cover the flyer with the coin and have a great way to show you shoot inside a nickel all day long

 

[FuhQ]

 

[powdahound76]

Build…..

My time is worth a lot to me. Between loading, testing, and getting out to shoot LR, takes a lot of time.

Its worth a custom barrel or better prefit to me vs off the shelf.
I dont want to be chasing why it wont shoot. It can still happen and guys with premium blanks and good smiths seem to be more rare fighting a barrel to shoot well than a factory rifle

 

[LRI]

What an M700 with a little love can do:

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This one is a present for someone close to me. As a teen, I spent my summers working on a big grain farm in North Dakota. The owner is more of a Dad to me than mine ever was. He has a birthday coming up and I felt the urge to try and say thank you. I chambered it in 6.5mm Creed. It works...

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